| FTBL I feel I should apologize...

[U-Ute]

I feel I should apologize for my quick message as well as the behavior of some Ute fans.

I know that a class fan should always act like you've been there before, but, in reality, Utah is just starting to come into it's own in football. We have a strong history in basketball, but our football history is mostly regional. We've had some good teams, but that was before the explosion of college football in the 70's, and we're just starting to get some recognition. In between, we had a long stretch where we were continually pummeled by our rival, and rarely finished the season above .500. Only in the last 10-15 years have we been able to get a leg up on our rival and have a string of successes in bowl games.

As such, we've only been to a fraction of the bowl games as Alabama has, and only once before have been on a stage like this. So you'll have to excuse some of our "youthful exuberance" when we get into games like this.

Unfortunately, we have also had our share of negative experiences along the way. The way we have been treated over the last decade or so on opposing fans boards has put a bit of a chip on our shoulder. Whenever we try to discuss breakdowns, we are dismissed offhandedly as inferior simply because of the conference we are affiliated with. Never mind that we continually beat these "superior teams" year in and year out. Each new year is always greeted with a different team whose fans say "true, you beat *them*, but..." and then again explain to us that none of our players would even appear on the depth chart on any team in their league. Then we beat the tar out of them. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

So, let me apologize for my rash message. I usually try to approach an opposing fan's board with a nice breakdown of the Utes let it get laughed off of the board before I start getting into scraps. Once I post my breakdown of the Utes, Big_Fan, feel free to point and laugh, and we'll resume. Keep in mind that I think I've had this discussion with several of you a few years ago when the Utes beat your then #1 basketball team. All I remember reading was how your SEC athletes were going to run all over us. Alabama fans are supposed to be some of the most knowledgeable football fans around, so I hope you all will be a little bit more respectful than some of the other fans.

We have a few weeks until the game, so in the meantime, lets have some fun and make the most of it.

Do I think we will win? I don't know, but I do know this: the Utes will be very prepared, and your boys better be ready for an old fashioned junkyard fight, because that is what they are going to get.

Sincerely.

U-Ute

 

[eshad]

Great post U-Ute. Of course everyone thinks their team is favored, but that's why the game is played on grass and not paper. All of this discussion is just something to keep busy until the game.

Here's to some great discussion about football. Not religion, marital status, etc., etc. Roll Tide!

 

[TerryP]

I look forward to seeing your breakdown and review of the Utah team.

I'm not one to point and laugh, but I don't tend to hesitate pointing something out I disagree with.

Along those lines...

WTH is the point of a few Ute fans bringing up a basketball game in context with a football game? That makes no sense to me, at all.

FWIW, I'd guess 90% of those that post here regularly understand where you guys are coming from re: confidence in your team and where you sit today. Speaking for myself, that confidence is taken in the light of a football program no one really cared about around the nation and now it's a story that is followed from a far.

We've seen a lot of teams over the years have a very defensive attitude about their team and their chances. Some of those teams have won football games against us as well.

Here's to the hope the Pac 10 expands to 12 and Utah gets an invitation...

 

[reger60]

Here's to the hope the Pac 10 expands to 12 and Utah gets an invitation...

...and then establishes a Conference Championship Game along with the Big Ten+1

 

[Guest]

I look forward to seeing your breakdown and review of the Utah team.

I'm not one to point and laugh, but I don't tend to hesitate pointing something out I disagree with.

Along those lines...

WTH is the point of a few Ute fans bringing up a basketball game in context with a football game? That makes no sense to me, at all.

FWIW, I'd guess 90% of those that post here regularly understand where you guys are coming from re: confidence in your team and where you sit today. Speaking for myself, that confidence is taken in the light of a football program no one really cared about around the nation and now it's a story that is followed from a far.

We've seen a lot of teams over the years have a very defensive attitude about their team and their chances. Some of those teams have won football games against us as well.

Here's to the hope the Pac 10 expands to 12 and Utah gets an invitation...

(1) I'm with you. I don't point and laugh, but after spending hours and hours breaking down statistical comparisons between Utah, their opponents, and their opponents opponents, NCAA statistics and the statistics of opponents and opponents opponents, followed by reading everything I can on NFL draft projections and even going back to high school scouting reports on players - finishing up with watching film of them...If I see something that is stupid, I will point it out.

FYI for Utes, when I do statistical analysis of how good a unit is, I go to the third level of competition, looking at who your opponents played, and who your opponents opponents played. I do this in order to find if a unit's statistical ranking is justified. Having the #1 rushing offense would not mean much if someone had played 12 of the worst rushing defenses in the nation - nor would it mean anything if your opponents were 12 of the best rushing defenses after having played 11 of the worst rushing offenses.

When I see shutting down Air Force used as proof that your run defense is great, I guess I do point and laugh in a sense. When you look at how USAF accumlated that #5 rushing offense ranking (dropping 400 yards on terrible defenses), and take into consideration that they are a one trick option pony - and Utah has the speed to take away the corner, it would have been sad if you didn't shut them down. USAF is 117 out of 119 in passing offense, so it was probably a pretty safe bet that you could play man against them and bring in the safeties for run support.

Bama will not try to get the corner on Utah. You do not have the size or strength up front to play gap control defense, and if you start shooting the gap to overcome that deficiency, our OL is fast enough to reach block and we will run right by you.

Kruger may have been a freshman AA last year, but now he goes up against a first team AA who outweighs him by 70 pounds and is projected to be the #1 overall draft pick.

I just cannot see a scenario where this game is close.

 

[Guest]

I think I've had this discussion with several of you a few years ago when the Utes beat your then #1 basketball team.

I am no Bama bball junkie but I cannot remember us being number one...ever. So I am starting to doubt you have discussed anything with people on this message board.

Comparing our Bball program with our Football program is laughable. I can understand how you could get laughed off of this board for that. :?

 

[TerryP]

I think I've had this discussion with several of you a few years ago when the Utes beat your then #1 basketball team.

I am no Bama bball junkie but I cannot remember us being number one...ever. So I am starting to doubt you have discussed anything with people on this message board.

Comparing our Bball program with our Football program is laughable. I can understand how you could get laughed off of this board for that. :?

It happened...

 

[Guest]

I think I've had this discussion with several of you a few years ago when the Utes beat your then #1 basketball team.

I am no Bama bball junkie but I cannot remember us being number one...ever. So I am starting to doubt you have discussed anything with people on this message board.

Comparing our Bball program with our Football program is laughable. I can understand how you could get laughed off of this board for that. :?

It happened...

When? LOL tell ya how much I keep up with bball...haven't since RH was there....

I believe Utah fans want/hope that Bama fans and players are over looking them, but I just do not think Bama will take this game any different. If anything they will be pissed and out to prove something.
I want a victory just like any other week.

 

[DaleC76]

The 12/31/2002 Men's Basketball AP Poll:

1. Alabama (35) 9-0 1,720
2. Pittsburgh (16) 9-0 1,688
3. Duke (14) 7-0 1,660
4. Arizona (5) 6-1 1,578
5. Connecticut 8-0 1,384
6. Notre Dame 10-1 1,361
7. Texas 7-2 1,237
8. Mississippi St. (1) 8-1 1,133
9. Oregon 9-1 1,131
10. Oklahoma 6-2 1,051
11. Illinois 8-1 1,029
12. Florida 10-2 1,006
13. Marquette 8-1 961
14. Michigan State 8-2 839
15. Creighton 10-0 775
16. Missouri 6-1 708
17. Indiana 8-2 678
18. Kansas 7-3 646
19. Xavier 8-2 375
20. Kentucky 6-3 374
21. LSU 8-1 308
22. Maryland 6-3 267
23. Wake Forest 7-0 254
24. Louisville 7-1 243
25. Texas Tech 8-1 133

 

[Swamptick]

Here's to the hope the Pac 10 expands to 12 and Utah gets an invitation...

They would be great there. I also think they would continue to impress and surprise in that conference. Utah takes football serious. It's fans take it serious and those are 2 MAJOR components for success.

Win or lose, I will have a good respect for Utah.

 

[Guest]

The 12/31/2002 Men's Basketball AP Poll:

1. Alabama (35) 9-0 1,720
2. Pittsburgh (16) 9-0 1,688
3. Duke (14) 7-0 1,660
4. Arizona (5) 6-1 1,578
5. Connecticut 8-0 1,384
6. Notre Dame 10-1 1,361
7. Texas 7-2 1,237
8. Mississippi St. (1) 8-1 1,133
9. Oregon 9-1 1,131
10. Oklahoma 6-2 1,051
11. Illinois 8-1 1,029
12. Florida 10-2 1,006
13. Marquette 8-1 961
14. Michigan State 8-2 839
15. Creighton 10-0 775
16. Missouri 6-1 708
17. Indiana 8-2 678
18. Kansas 7-3 646
19. Xavier 8-2 375
20. Kentucky 6-3 374
21. LSU 8-1 308
22. Maryland 6-3 267
23. Wake Forest 7-0 254
24. Louisville 7-1 243
25. Texas Tech 8-1 133

We lost a bruising, physical game to Utah under Majerus. Once we got to SEC play our lack of depth was exposed.

 

[RollllTide!]

I feel I should apologize for my quick message as well as the behavior of some Ute fans.

Apologize for what? I have enjoyed the X's & O's from you and Big_Fan. I have also enjoyed anticipating Big_Fan's responses because I know you are outmanned when it comes to statistics. I looked up that big word in the Websters and saw Big_Fan's picture.

Please keep posting. If it gets too nasty then you will get banned. This is the best football board I have ever been on. It is like the Wall Street Journal of online football.

 

[Electric_Ute_666]

It is like the Wall Street Journal of online football.

I remember taking a cab in Memphis after the Utes played in the Liberty bowl in 2003. He said "Alabama is the Notre Dame of the south...everyone down here hates them but themselves".

I'm not saying I agree, but your quote reminded me of that. I thought you may find it funny.

 

[Guest]

It is like the Wall Street Journal of online football.

I remember taking a cab in Memphis after the Utes played in the Liberty bowl in 2003. He said "Alabama is the Notre Dame of the south...everyone down here hates them but themselves".

I'm not saying I agree, but your quote reminded me of that. I thought you may find it funny.

...and Bama fans by and large hate Notre Dame. They had our number for a long time.

We had everybody's number for a long time and they hate us for it. The way other programs bash us is really sad. Football is a sport and the participants take part in an event called a "game." The venom spewed toward us by our SEC brethren is more suited for (and this is not an exaggeration) someone who raped their spouse or sister. They literally hate us. When the NCAA was investigating us in 2000, our rivals were openly campaigning for us to get the death penalty. They didn't want us injured, they wanted us killed. As it was, we were gutted to the point that we had less than 60 scholarshipped players in 2004, and that is fewer than FCS schools. Weaker programs would never have recovered.

For the better part of eternity, we have looked toward our conference rivals with indifference. If they played out of conference teams, we pulled for them to win because it made both the conference, and the south, look good. Now we tend to hate them back, rarely pulling for anyone other than Alabama.

The origin of Alabama football tradition can be traced to the period coming out of the reconstruction. After the civil war, the south was reviled by the north and west. Our cities had been burned, and the economic policies of the northerners who controlled the ports was oppressive. As a people, we had little to be proud of. When Alabama football became prominent on a national level in the 1920's, there was finally something that people could rally around. For many years, Alabama football was not just for locals, it was an object of southern pride. Bama dominated the football landscape for years. When Paul Bryant took the reigns in 1958, Alabama football had been on the decline. Tennesse had risen to prominence, and Auburn had won their first (and only) national title in 1957. What had been a large fan base spread across the south, was now more fragmented - although Alabama still maintained (and still does) a wider audience than other regional schools.

Bryant quickly turned Alabama around, winning national titles in 1961, '64, '65...and then came the infamous season of 1966 where the anti-Alabama bias began to rear its head. The 1966 team was coming off of two consecutive national titles. In 1966, Alabama went 11-0, posted 6 shutouts, and only gave up 44 points on the season - while scoring 301. Bama beat 9-1 Big-8 champion Nebraska 34-7 in the Sugar Bowl, and should have been the national champions. The voters intentionally prevented it, awarding the title to 9-0-1 Notre Dame, on the strength of a tie with Michigan State. Notre Dame was good that season, but they were not unbeaten, and the AP & UPI both awarded them the national title. Some people will say that it was because Alabama (as well as most southern schools) was segregated - and that may be part of the reason...but many feel that it was to prevent us from having back-to-back-to-back titles.

Our rivals claim that we are stuck in the past because we hold reverence for tradition and history, but that is not true. We just understand that history and tradition is a foundation. If you are going to build on something, there is nothing better to build on. When recruits visit Alabama and go the the Bryant museum, they leave with a sense of something greater than exists elsewhere. As much as Bama fans generally dislike Bill Curry, he acknowledges the mystique and has said many times that, when a player suits up in an Alabama uniform, he will play harder and better than he is capable. To this day, Curry is amazed by that...and that is what tradition does. Alabama was not the 2nd most talented team in the SEC this year...probably not the third or fourth...but we have tradition. We refuse to lose it. It really does help.

 

[RollllTide!]

For the better part of eternity, we have looked toward our conference rivals with indifference. If they played out of conference teams, we pulled for them to win because it made both the conference, and the south, look good. Now we tend to hate them back, rarely pulling for anyone other than Alabama.

When I was growing up, Alabama was respected by other southern schools and fans because of Bear Bryant. This was during the late 60's. You knew you could count on one loss if Alabama was on your schedule. Bama rarely played Georgia in the late 60's so pulling for them was another reason to beat Auburn.

 

[U-Ute]

I look forward to seeing your breakdown and review of the Utah team.

I just cannot see a scenario where this game is close.

Well damn. I guess we should just not play the game then. I was looking forward to it.



U-Ute

 

[Guest]

1. Alabama (35) 9-0 1,720

That early in the season...no wonder I didn't pay any attention to that.

 

[RollllTide!]

It is like the Wall Street Journal of online football.

I remember taking a cab in Memphis after the Utes played in the Liberty bowl in 2003. He said "Alabama is the Notre Dame of the south...everyone down here hates them but themselves".

I'm not saying I agree, but your quote reminded me of that. I thought you may find it funny.

That would be a typical statement for a Tennessee fan, but I know other schools in the SEC do not hate us, they just hate to play us. Urban Meyer said after the SECCG that they were banged up. Most of the other schools are envious of the success that BAMA has achieved. Most of us just shrug it off and just beat you on the field. That is what counts.

Since 1992 we have had more than a few rough years.

 

[AlabamaSlammer]

I look forward to seeing your breakdown and review of the Utah team.

I just cannot see a scenario where this game is close.

Well damn. I guess we should just not play the game then. I was looking forward to it.



U-Ute

No offense but it will probably be around 48-3 Bama, but like you said, thats why they play the game. Me personally I cant even imagine it being close. You guys are good, but you aren't even close to a Vanderbilt 5 years ago. But blind squirrels find nuts, and I guess Bama found one according to the rest of the world this year. Play the game and then we will see.

 

[SkinyUte]

You guys are good, but you aren't even close to a Vanderbilt 5 years ago.

Y'know, I'm totally fine with all the statistical analysis that says we lose by 30. I'm cool with most Bama fans saying they'll blow us off the field and be up by 21 after the first quarter. I don't agree, mind you, but I understand and don't have any problem with it.

But I've got to draw the line when I hear that our 12-0 team, ranked 6th in the county, that has beaten three top 25 opponents is "not even close" to a 2-10 Vanderbilt squad. Shit like that is frankly ridiculous and is nothing more than stupid, blind homerism.